Luna's Fall and Rise

The forest air carried the scent of blood and something else—something wrong. I stood frozen at the edge of the cliff, staring down at my sister's broken body. Winter lay twisted among the rocks below, her neck bent at an unnatural angle. My wolf clawed at my insides, howling that this wasn't right.

"Accidental fall," Charles declared, his Alpha voice cutting through the murmurs of the pack gathered around us. "The hunt was dangerous. She must have lost her footing."

But Winter was our best tracker. She knew these woods better than anyone.

"Let me see her," I whispered, moving toward the edge where the pack healer was examining her body.

"There's nothing to see, Luna." Charles's hand clamped around my upper arm, pulling me back. "You're too emotional right now."

I wrenched against his grip. "She's my sister!"

"And she's gone." His voice softened, but his grip didn't. "Look at her wrists."

I did. Purple bruises encircled them like vile jewelry.

"Restraints," I breathed.

"No." Charles shook his head firmly. "Those are from the fall. Rocks, branches—they could have left marks."

But my wolf knew better. Those were the marks of hands. Of someone holding her down.

"The healer has confirmed it was a fall," Charles continued, his tone final. "We need to move forward as a pack."

---

Three days later, rain fell like tears on Winter's coffin. The pack gathered in somber rows, heads bowed as the elder spoke words that seemed to float away in the damp air.

"She was beloved," he intoned. "A bright spirit returned to the Moon Goddess too soon."

I stood beside Charles, my black dress clinging to my skin in the drizzle. My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for—what? Comfort? Understanding? Neither was there.

Then I saw him.

Pierce Richardson stood apart from the others, his hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed. While everyone else wore grief like a heavy cloak, his face held something else entirely.

A smirk.

Our eyes met across the graveyard. Slowly, deliberately, he raised his hand to his throat and drew his finger across it in a slicing motion before turning away.

My blood turned to ice.

---

"Pierce was acting strange at the funeral," I told Charles later that night in our quarters. "He made a cutting gesture across his throat when he saw me."

Charles sighed heavily, setting down the papers he'd been reviewing. "Oakleigh, you're grieving. You're seeing things that aren't there."

"I know what I saw."

"Listen to me." He pulled me into his arms, and I let myself sink into his warmth despite my doubts. "I'll look into it. Quietly. As Alpha, I can't ignore your concerns, but we need to be careful. Accusations like this could tear the pack apart."

I nodded against his chest. "You'll find the truth?"

"I promise." His fingers stroked my hair. "If there's anything to find, I'll bring it to light. For you. For Winter."

---

Two weeks passed in a haze of grief and unanswered questions. The Coming-of-Age ceremony arrived with its traditional celebration of young wolves reaching maturity.

I'd spent the morning at Winter's grave, placing fresh flowers and whispering promises of justice. By the time I reached the pack hall, the festivities were well underway.

Music and laughter spilled from the open doors. Inside, lanterns cast warm light over decorated tables laden with food and drink. Pack members mingled in their finest clothes, celebrating another year of growth and strength.

I moved through the crowd, nodding at greetings, accepting condolences with practiced smiles. My wolf remained restless beneath my skin.

That's when I heard his voice.

"—should have seen her face when I told her I knew everything." Pierce's slurred words carried from the bar where he stood surrounded by younger wolves. "The nosy bitch thought she was so clever."

I froze, my glass halfway to my lips.

"Teach her a lesson," another voice encouraged.

Pierce laughed, the sound sharp as breaking glass. "Oh, I taught her more than one. Made her beg before I pushed her."

My heart stopped.

"Show us again," someone urged.

Pierce pulled out his phone. "Look at this. Look at her all bound up and bleeding. Still threatening to expose everything even while I—"

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. The room tilted around me as images flashed on his screen—Winter, my Winter, bound and bloodied.

"Want to see the best parts?" Pierce's voice cut through my shock as he noticed me standing there. He held up his phone, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "I've got plenty more where these came from."

Something broke inside me. My wolf surged forward with a rage so pure it burned away everything else. I lunged toward him—

Only to be grabbed from behind. Charles's fingers dug into my arm as he dragged me backward through the crowd.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, struggling against his grip.

"Taking you outside," he growled in my ear. "Before you do something stupid."

The cool night air hit my face as he pulled me through the doors and into the darkness beyond.